Virtual meetings can be exhausting, and several factors contribute to this. According to new research, sleepiness during virtual meetings is caused by mental underload and boredom. Previous research suggested that fatigue from virtual meetings is caused by mental overload, but new research from Aalto University suggests that sleepiness during virtual meetings may be caused by mental underload and boredom.
‘I expected to discover that people become stressed during remote meetings. However, the opposite occurred: those who were not engaged in their work quickly became drowsy during remote meetings,’ says the study’s lead author, Assistant Professor Niina Nurmi.
The researchers examined different types of fatigue experiences among 44 knowledge workers across nearly 400 meetings by measuring heart rate variability during virtual and face-to-face meetings. Aalto researchers worked with researchers at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health to study stress and recovery using heart rate monitors. The study was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health Psychology.
The format of the meeting had little effect on people who were highly engaged and enthusiastic about their work. They were able to stay active even during virtual meetings. On the other hand, workers whose work engagement was low and who were not very enthusiastic about their work found virtual meetings very tiring.
Assistant Professor Niina Nurmi
‘We combined physiological and ethnographic methods. ‘We shadowed each subject for two workdays, recording all events with time stamps,’ says Nurmi.
A questionnaire was also included in the study to assess people’s general attitudes and work engagement.
‘The format of a meeting had little effect on people who were highly engaged and enthusiastic about their work. They were able to stay active even during virtual meetings. On the other hand, workers whose work engagement was low and who were not very enthusiastic about their work found virtual meetings very tiring.’
It’s easier to maintain focus in face-to-face meetings than in virtual ones, as the latter have limited cognitive cues and sensory input. ‘Especially when cameras are off, the participant is left under-stimulated and may start to compensate by multitasking,’ Nurmi explains.
Although adequate brain stimulation is generally beneficial, multitasking during virtual meetings is problematic. During a virtual meeting, only highly automated tasks, such as walking, can be performed properly.
‘Walking and other automated activities can increase your energy levels and help you focus on the meeting. However, if you’re trying to focus on two things that require cognitive attention at the same time, you won’t be able to hear if anything important is happening in the meeting. Alternatively, you must continuously switch between tasks. ‘It’s really taxing on the brain,’ says Nurmi.
